


A Spooky Set Piece

by WriterSine



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Childhood Friends, Choose Your Own Adventure, Eventual Friends to Lovers, Halloween Costumes, M/M, Mutual Pining, ghost story, halloween party
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-11
Updated: 2020-11-11
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:02:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27499840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WriterSine/pseuds/WriterSine
Summary: Dimitri and Felix dress in their Halloween costumes and settle in to join the party. However, a scary story leaves everyone on edge.What happens next? That, reader, is up to you.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Felix Hugo Fraldarius
Comments: 6
Kudos: 13
Collections: Dimilix Spiderweb 2020





	A Spooky Set Piece

**Author's Note:**

> Here continues the AO3 Dimilix Choose-your-own-adventure with the beginning of the General/Fluff route!
> 
> If you missed the introduction and would like to read that first, [Click Here.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27461230)
> 
> This section of the story also features adorable art drawn by [Rinoa](https://twitter.com/rinoarubia) on Twitter. She did wonderful multiple pieces for both this section and one of their endings. To see the art and enjoy the complete VN experience, [click here,](https://dimilixweb.itch.io/spiderweb2020) for both in browser and downloadable versions.
> 
> Kudos also to [Eza](https://twitter.com/eznochi) and [DimensionSlip](https://twitter.com/slip_fe3h) for their excellent modding and performing coding and assembly!

Felix picks through a rack of costumes: tentacle monster, princess, construction worker… that might be the easiest. He pulls the bagged costume out and looks it over with little enthusiasm. 

“What do you think?” 

Felix turns to see Dimitri holding a pink onesie and a judge’s robe and wig. “What is that?” He points at the onesie. 

“It appears to be a pig costume,” Dimitri says. 

“Don’t wear that, unless you want to look ridiculous,” Felix says. 

“That’s easy for you to say,” Dimitri replies, though he sets the onesie aside. “You’re not taller than most of the costumes. I’m having a difficult time finding things that fit.” He opens up the bag, pulls out the robe, and holds it against his body. The hem falls several inches short of his ankles. A dejected look crosses Dimitri’s face, like an overgrown puppy who just broke his own toy by playing too rough.

“That’s what you get for throwing together a cheap one last minute,” Felix says.

Dimitri raises a brow and pokes the plastic cat ears on his head. “You’re one to talk.”

Felix bats his hand away and turns back to the rack, fighting a blush as he rifles through the costumes as loudly as possible. At last he finds one that looks promising, a bagged costume for King Loog from the popular drama Loog and the Maiden. Half turning, he thrusts it toward Dimitri. “Try this. If the pants don’t fit, your jeans are dark enough that no one should care under the fake armor.”

Dimitri’s expression goes soft as he reads the label. He takes the hanger. Their fingers brush and Felix pulls his hand away, suddenly very aware that Annette has trapped him in a small room with Dimitri, who is currently undressing. 

Calm down, you’ve seen him naked plenty of times over the years. Think about… fencing! Fencing forms. Low inside lunge. Parry. Felix covers his eyes with one hand and bites back a curse. In the many years they have known each other, this has never been a problem before. He stares at the costumes without really seeing them. It’s hard to explain, but Dimitri has become more than just a friend.

It makes situations like these weird. His stomach feels knotted but his heart feels light. Felix really wishes he knew what to do to make it stop.

Someone bangs on the door three times, startling Felix from his thoughts. “I’m here! Aren’t you guys dressed yet?” Sylvain calls through the wood, his voice muffled.

“I thought he was going to be late,” Felix mutters. He pulls out his phone. A little over ten minutes have passed since their arrival.

“We’re nearly ready,” Dimitri calls. In a quieter voice to Felix he says, “You’d better start changing soon. I imagine he’ll threaten to come in and choose for us next.”

“I’d like to see him try,” Felix says, but he grabs the first costume he sees with a sword in it. It’s an off-the-shelf Kyphon costume from Loog and the Maiden. Felix shoves it back onto the rack, his face heating up at the thought of what their friends would say if they accidentally coordinated costumes again. He grabs the one next to it—a vampire. It was going to be his choice if he’d had more time to prepare. Felix rips open the bag and puts on the white shirt and black cape. His pants are dark enough to blend in. There’s even a set of fake teeth. He pops them in, wrinkling his nose at the taste.

Behind him Dimitri sighs, and there comes the sound of rustling fabric. “This won’t work either. The straps aren’t long enough.”

Felix turns. Dimitri is only half-dressed. The gold plastic crown seems to be the only part of the costume that fits well. Other prominent features of the Loog costume are the breastplate decorated with a roaring lion and single shoulder pauldron that buckles across the chest. Both hang awkwardly off of Dimitri’s frame. The shirt underneath them is too tight and Felix is surprised Dimitri hasn’t ripped it yet.

“Can you assist me? I’m worried if I do too much contorting I’ll tear something.”

“Hold still.” His words are slurred by the fangs. Felix takes them out and shoves them in his pocket before starting to unbuckle the breastplate. “Why did you try to force it if you could tell it wouldn’t fit?”

Dimitri complies, holding his arms out so they’re not in Felix’s way. “It reminded me of when we were eleven. We dressed as Loog and Kyphon for Halloween. I thought it would be nice to recapture that, even if this costume is nothing like the ones we made.” His smile is a little wistful.

Felix’s throat feels tight. He remembers never wanting that Halloween night to end. “Things change,” he says, lifting the breastplate away. 

Dimitri gives him a look that Felix can only describe as searching. “Surely—”

Someone knocks on the door again. “You guys aren’t using this as a chance for a quick one, are you?”

A blush burns Felix’s face. Dimitri’s cheeks also go red. They both glance toward the closed door.

“Shut up!”

“Sylvain, that’s not appropriate.” Dimitri shakes his head. He shucks the rest of the costume, leaving him half-naked as he reaches for his discarded shirt.

Felix feels his blush creep down his neck and over his ears. He turns away. There’s a furry pleather jacket in a big pile under the rack of costumes. He picks it up and tosses it at Dimitri. “Try this.”

Dimitri gives the jacket a skeptical look but takes it. He’s sliding it on when Sylvain says in a sing-song voice, “I’m happy to help if you’re out of ideas.”

The jacket is a little tight but Dimitri buttons it with ease. It’s covered in artful rips that reveal tufts of fur showing through, joined by more at the collar and cuffs.

“I appear to be a beast of some kind,” Dimitri says. “Where did you find this?”

Felix points under the rack. Dimitri crouches and emerges with a headband with two furry ears, a clip-on tail, and a rubber dog-like nose mask. “It appears I’m going to be a werewolf after all,” he says with a soft laugh. He puts on the ears and tail, then lifts the nose for inspection. “Ah, I can’t wear the mask. The elastic is missing.”

Sylvain gives the doorknob a menacing rattle.

“Forget it,” Felix says, grabbing the handle. “Let’s get out of here.” He pushes on the door. “Let us out, you idiot.”

The door flies open to reveal Sylvain dressed in nun costume with a short skirt, heels, and small veil. “Come on, what did you pick? Annette! Ingrid, they’re done!”

Felix bites back a groan and steps aside so Dimitri can join him. There’s the patter of feet and Annette returns, Ingrid on her heels. Claude follows more sedately, but Felix can see the eager amusement in his eyes from down the hall. 

Annette skids to a stop, her hands ball into fists and she pumps them in the air. “A werewolf and a vampire! You look so much better than before. So spooky!”

“What took you so long?” Claude asks. “I was starting to wonder if the ghosts had gotten you.”

Annette gasps. “Ghosts! I thought you were kidding when you said this place was haunted.”

Claude grins and shrugs. Felix rolls his eyes.

“I had a hard time finding something that fit me,” Dimitri says. “I hoped to wear the King Loog costume, but it was too small.”

Annette’s worried expression shifts back into delight. “Were costumes from Loog and the Maiden in there? That’s a shame about the costume, Dimitri. You would make such a dashing King of Lions.” She clasps her hands together. “Especially if Felix was also dressed as Kyphon!”

“They already dressed as Loog and Kyphon for Halloween when we were kids,” Sylvain says with a grin.

“Really! I never knew.” Annette looks at Felix. “Have you started watching Loog and the Maiden yet, Felix?”

He shakes his head. Despite both Ashe and Annette pestering him about it, Felix hasn’t watched the show yet. Now, after seeing Dimitri in something like the lead’s costume, he’s wondering if that was an oversight. 

Annette’s delighted expression wavers. “Felix! What’s taking you so long?”

“I’ll get to it,” he says lamely. 

Her smile returns. Annette loops her arms through his and Dimitri’s and starts towing them down the hall, away from the closet. “You should come over to my house. Have you seen it yet, Dimitri?”

“Only the first episode,” Dimitri says. “It’s quite entertaining.” He bumps repeatedly into the wall, trying to keep up with Annette without crowding her and Felix with his bulk. It would be funny if Felix also wasn’t a captive of Annette’s enthusiasm.

“We should have a watch party!” Annette says. 

“That’s not necessary, I’ll binge it on my own,” Felix says.

“Don’t be an old stick-in-the-mud, Felix,” she retorts as they enter the sitting room. “You can come over tomorrow and we can all eat leftover Halloween goodies.”

“What’s this about Halloween goodies?” Mercedes asks, approaching from a sideboard arranged with multiple bowls and platters of food. The sight of the food alone makes Felix’s stomach hurt and he doesn’t intend to try eating any of the sweet stuff. Mercedes is wearing a long gray and black robe and hood with gloves that make her hands look skeletal. Her face has been carefully painted to resemble a skull. The whole effect is haunting and Felix feels another little twinge of guilt at showing up in cat ears and little else.

Annette releases him and Dimitri and claps her hands together. “Felix finally agreed to watch Loog and the Maiden. He and Dimitri are going to come over tomorrow to watch it. Where’s Ashe?”

“I think he went to get more plates and napkins,” Mercedes says.

“Good,” Claude says, entering just behind them, Sylvain and Ingrid in tow. “Can’t have you guys leaving this place a mess and pissing off its ghosts.”

Mercedes’s eyes go wide. “Ghosts!” Her hands fly to her chest.

Claude chuckles. “Don’t worry, I’m sure they’re just stories.”

Mercedes steps forward, her expression eager. “Tell me everything, Claude.”

“I’m not staying to hear them. Are Dedue and Ashe still in the kitchen?” Annette asks, and hurries off.

Claude raises his eyebrows and Felix smirks. “Well, Claude?” he says, folding his arms.

Claude shoots him a stern look. “You can act like you don’t believe me, but this mansion is legitimately haunted.”

Felix snorts. “Tell us one of your ghost stories, then.”

Claude hums thoughtfully and moves toward an armchair upholstered in gold satin grouped with a sofa and another chair around a marble-topped coffee table. Mercedes sits in the armchair next to him. Felix sits on the sofa. 

Sylvain plops down on the opposite end. “Alright, let’s hear it.”

“Wait, turn the lights down, that’ll be more fun,” Mercedes says.

“I’ll do that. Take a seat, Dimitri,” Ingrid says.

“Plenty of space over here, big guy!” Sylvain says, waving him over.

“Shouldn’t we wait for the others?” Dimitri asks, hesitating.

“Probably not. Annette and Ashe don’t care for ghost stories,” Mercedes says without taking her eyes off of Claude. 

Ingrid turns off a couple overhead lights. Shadows pool into the room, held back by a few lamps on the side tables. Like small sentinels of golden illumination standing guard against the gloom.

Dimitri waits for Ingrid to return to the group before he takes his seat. She ignores the empty space on the sofa, however, and perches on the arm of Mercedes’s chair. 

He shuffles toward the nearest end of the sofa where Felix is sitting. “Would you mind sitting in the middle, Felix? I’m sure I’ll crowd you less, sitting on the end.”

Felix sighs but slides over next to Sylvain. He leans forward as Dimitri lowers himself into his seat and lets his arm rest across the back of the sofa so his shoulder won’t jostle Felix. Once Dimitri settles, Felix sits back, his body brushing against Dimitri’s arm. It’s a dance they’ve performed a thousand times, ever since they hit puberty and Dimitri became a tangle of long limbs he had to grow into. Even now, he still feels too big for his body sometimes. 

Dimitri glances at Felix out of the corner of his eye. Felix, on the other hand, had developed a lithe dexterity and poise that Dimitri could never hope to achieve. He is powerful, to be sure, but Felix is graceful in a way that takes Dimitri’s breath away. It’s more than that, however; Felix has been Dimitri’s friend for their entire lives. But in the years since his parents died, Felix has become something bigger and more encompassing. Being around him gives Dimitri a sense of… home.

“Ow!” Felix jumps in his seat. 

Dimitri jumps as well. The others look at Felix, expressions of surprise and concern on their faces.

“What was that for?” Felix snarls, glaring at Sylvain. He elbows him in the ribs.

“Ow! Saints, your elbows are sharp as shit,” Sylvain says, rubbing his side. “Nothing, you’re just a little close is all. Scoot over.”

“There’s plenty of room, Felix,” Dimitri says. “Plenty” is stretching it, but there is some room.

“C’mon guys, don’t you want to hear my story?” Claude drawls, his chin propped against his fist. 

Felix grumbles, but shifts closer to Dimitri, his body all but enclosed in the embrace of Dimitri’s outstretched arm. He feels conscious of every point of contact between them, every brush of Felix’s arm or knee against his body. Dimitri is grateful for the dim lighting; it hides the blush he can feel on his face.

Claude leans forward and brings his hands together. “Well, the most poignant story is about how this house changed hands and came into my family. This happened generations ago. The people who used to own it, the original builders of this house, were very cutthroat in politics and power. They were raised to sacrifice everything for the advancement of the family’s interests. Everything you see now, the furniture, the artwork, that’s new stuff brought in almost twenty years ago. But the floors, the walls, the foundations? That’s as old as the house itself.”

“Now, the original family had a daughter, their pride and joy, the one who was going to carry forward their line. Her whole life had been planned and plotted out for this. Then, one day, she met a poor young man from a different country. They fell in love.” Claude’s tone softens as he says the words.

He pauses and only the ticking clock fills the silence. This isn’t the story Dimitri heard about this house. He wonders if the couple had the chance to be together. Or if it really happened at all. He hopes not, because then all the suffering he is certain will come next in the story will not be real.

“Now, as I said before,” Claude says. “Her life had been planned out already and there was no room in it for a foreigner. There was someone else she was supposed to marry to fulfill her family’s needs. When the daughter refused she was locked away until her wedding day.”

Claude leans back in the chair, the shadows thickening around him, covering half his face. “Now, the daughter’s room was on the floor above.” He points toward the ceiling. “Down at the far end of the hall. Every night her lover would come and stand beneath her window so that they could see each other. And as her wedding approached, she plotted her escape. On the night of her wedding, the young woman packed a small bag and stole out of her room. She snuck down those very stairs.” Claude nods to the stairs in the foyer. “But her father anticipated an escape attempt and was waiting in here for her. She ran for the door but he intercepted her!”

“Oh!” Mercedes whispers. Beside her, Ingrid’s expression is grim.

Dimitri can feel tension in Felix’s body as well. He’s frowning; the story has him on edge. 

“She struck her father with her bag and fled back up the stairs,” Claude says. “Her father chased after her in anger. Back in her room she hurried to the window, knocking on it.” Claude knocked gently on the wooden side table next to him. “Knock-knock-knock! Trying to get her lover’s attention down on the grounds. From below, he saw her be pulled away! He ran to the door, but it was locked and no matter how much he shouted, they would not let him in, and his beloved’s window remained empty.”

“Now, the next day, the wedding was canceled and the father announced that his daughter had fallen ill.” Claude’s brow rises and he gives them all a skeptical look. “Her lover tries to see her but they won’t let him in. A week later they announced her death. Burial in the family mausoleum followed quickly. This enraged the man who loved her, and so he left, to go make his fortune. Which he did. And when he returned later, a wealthy man, he was rich enough to ruin that ambitious family and get them thrown out of their house! He bought their ancestral home and went over it, searching for any indication that something untoward had happened that night.” Claude gives them a rueful grin. 

“And in a way, he got an answer.” He brings his fist against the tabletop again, knock-knock-knock. “The frantic knocking of someone begging to be let out. He spent the rest of his life searching for the knocking, but could never find the source.” Claude pauses and settles his forearms on both arms of his chair. “When he died it was passed to his nearest relative down through the years to my great-great grandfather. And even today, if you’re on the grounds at night and look up in the far east second floor window, sometimes you can glimpse a figure, watching for a chance to escape.”

Mercedes brings up her skeletal hands to clap, the happiest grim reaper Dimitri has ever seen. Ingrid exhales and fidgets. Dimitri does as well, trying to shift some of the creeping tension from Claude’s story.

Knock! Knock! Knock! The rapid sounds come from overhead. Distinctly, and as silence falls over their group, Dimitri wishes he could tell himself that it was from a room down the hall. But he knows it wasn’t. Even Claude looks surprised.

No one moves. Then comes the patter of footsteps. Annette bursts into the room. Her eyes are wide and her hat is askew. “What was that?” she gasps, staring at them.

Claude speaks first. “It was the ghost of the Lovelorn Lady.”

Two sets of footsteps announce the arrival of Ashe and Dedue.

“Who’s lovelorn?” Ashe asks.

“We heard a noise. Did something fall?” Dedue asks.

Before anyone else can respond, a faint wail spills down the staircase to the second floor. 

Dimitri freezes, chills trickling down his spine. Next to him Felix’s body goes tense. His hand shoots out and grabs Dimitri’s knee. 

His grip is tight and warm and Dimitri almost doesn’t register that Annette shrieks and hurries into Mercedes’s arms. Should he move to hold Felix’s hand or stay still so he doesn’t pull away? Dimitri wishes he knew. 

Ashe’s face is white. “Wh-what was that?” Shoulders hunched, he glances from the group to Dedue. 

Dedue puts a hand on Ashe’s shoulder and he relaxes a little. Dedue glances up at the ceiling. 

Beside Dimitri, Felix says, “It’s nothing, this is an old house.” He lets go and pulls his hand into his lap. His tone is extra mulish, like he’s determined not to seem shaken. But Dimitri can still feel the tension in his body.

“I’m inclined to agree,” Dedue says; his deep voice is steady and he sounds a lot more sure of his words.

“Hey, this place may be old but it’s not a wreck,” Claude says.

“Don’t say it has to be the ghost!” Annette says.

“It’s not. It’s clearly Claude trying to trick us,” Felix says before Claude can reply. He glares at him. 

Claude holds up his hands. “If this is a trick, it wasn’t me this time.” He flashes a broad, reassuring smile; his eyes never leave Felix’s face.

“Whoever it is, the best thing we can do is ignore them and concentrate on having fun instead,” Mercedes says with a smile, running a soothing hand up and down Annette’s back.

“Unless…” Claude says, still looking at Felix, “You want to go up and double check? Just for our peace of mind.”

Dimitri glances toward Felix in time to see him recoil. “No! Why would I?”

Sylvain chuckles. “You’re not scared are you, Felix?” He leans back to meet Dimitri’s gaze. “He jumped, didn’t he, Dimitri?”

Dimitri hesitates. He swears he can still feel the touch of Felix’s hand through the fabric of his pants. He looks at Felix. “You—”

Felix covers Dimitri’s mouth with his hand. Glancing over his shoulder at Sylvain, he says, “You, shut up.”

Dimitri’s heart begins to hammer in his chest. He reaches for Felix’s wrist to pull his hand away. 

“Go find out if there was a ghost or not, I dare you,” Claude says. There’s a mischievous glint in his eyes. 

Dimitri tugs Felix’s hand from his mouth but now everyone is staring at them. “Felix, you don’t need to do it if you don’t want to,” he says. Because if there’s anything Felix has a hard time resisting, it’s a challenge.

[ **”Absolutely not. I have no interest in proving anything to any of you."** ](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/DimilixSpiderweb2020/works/27594886)

OR

[ **Felix stands up. ”I’ll go.”** ](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/DimilixSpiderweb2020/works/27574514)

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to find out what happens to Dimitri and Felix, click one of the links above! There's four possible endings...
> 
> This event was so fun and unique. I hope you'll check out the finished piece. Follow me on twitter for more shenanigans: [@WriterSpice](https://twitter.com/writerspice). Thank you for reading! I'll see you again for one of four exciting conclusions. ; )


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